...had a chance to know them.

"Monster, you need to eat... you hadn't eaten at all yesterday; and its nearing mid-day..."

Priscilla was trying her best to get me to sustain myself this morning, but I simply couldn't. The day after that dream... I had just stayed in our cabin, silent as a mouse; which had led to the others growing concerned. Darrin even came by, trying to get me to continue our sparring, but I couldn't find the willpower needed to simply leave the room. I hadn't even slept; fearing more delusions of false Others would haunt me. Now, my body matches my mind in terms of sensations; withered, faulty, and pained.

"Should I just hold him down while you shove the food in his mouth?" Ashes whispers to Prissy; who simply ignores the idea.

Its then that I hear something; something I had silently begged for since that dream.

"All passengers up to the deck! We're arriving at Bounty's main dock!" Calls the dwarven logistics worker; Bran, the one who took us onto the ship to begin with.

Lurching to my feet, I begin to walk out of the room; nearly collapsing from exhaustion.

"You blasted fool..." Cilla mutters, holding me steady. "Gabriella, do you have any miracle for this?"

The tall Priestess answers, clearly agitated by my state. "No; my healing cannot feed the hungry, nor give vigor to the tired."

I speak; the first time since the dream. "I'm fine... go already. I'll follow."

Not wanting to argue, the others simply go. After around ten minutes of slowly gathering my things, I grab my pack, and make a pained trek up towards the deck. Once I smell air with less salt than usual, I feel a tug on my lips; a threat of joy, crushed quickly by my weighty worry. I see my companions, lined up near the ramp down to the dock, and Scott, a bit behind them. Where's Osil and Ehur?

Speak of the goblin-man hybrid, and he shall flounder his way into view. I see the smuggler leave the captains cabin; why is he dressed in the outfit worn by Thrusk's crew?

"Oh, hey mate!" He calls out. "Good I got to see you off! But first, look'y here! I've got some honest work for once! Paper work assistant or some nonsense, bloody easy."

The diminutive Ehur, following his much taller friend out of the cabin; also adorned in a new garb; but with white coloration, as opposed to the usual blue. "Yes yes, Osil. He can see that. We wanted to see your lot off as we did with the others, not brag about our new employment. "

"Oh, congrats." I say, confused as to why Thrusk would want Osil working in her cabin all the time...

Wait, no... It couldn't have been... when the sirens... was he that good of a lay? No, it must be something else.

Before intrusive depraved thoughts could depress me more than my dreams ever had, I shake the idea, and say. "Well, so long, you two. Stay safe."

"You too, mate."

"And you as well, Sir."

I see my companions and Scott had already gone down the ramp; with Thrusk herself down on the docks speaking to someone. I follow suit, and look onward to the Elvish Port City of Bounty. It's size dwarfs that of Tomo and Saltmoore combined. Watch towers; comprised of wood, stone, and metals, rose high into the air near the docks themselves; watching the oceans for threats. Past the towers were medium sized buildings, be it shop, or homes; with a smooth, curved style to their structure. These homes seemed to be predominately comprised of bricks; some red, some brown, and even some that had been painted a variety of colors. I can't make our anything further up the road, due to the buildings blocking the view.

As a whole, Bounty seems very vertical in it's layout, with the roads being leading mostly uphill; it seems the entire city was constructed onto some sort of declining slope which led to the sea. This seemed to have been exactly why the location was picked, similar to the reasons for the locations chosen for the past towns I had been too. Each, in their own way, was easy to defend, due to their strange terrain. Tomo being underground, Saltmoore being deep in a quarry, Riptide being in the middle of the sea, and now Bounty. Any military advance into the city would need to take it's time, lest the invaders simply start tumbling down the roads; a form of warfare which seems entirely unbecoming of the Dark's brutality.

One of the larger buildings I spot further up the road bares a banner; a dragon's wing, wrapping around a rose. A Runacathy; wonderful, maybe I could get a real cloak, as this grain-sack turned hood is starting to chafe my scales...

I reach my friends on the dock after taking in the view of the city, hearing the man Thrusk was speaking to; his voice was light, even, and smooth, but carried a tired tone. "I know, Thrusk. It's a pain, but we'll need to go through your stock and crew this time. We don't suspect you; whatsoever, of intentionally sneaking in any spies..."

The man speaking appears to be an elf, standing only an inch taller than Thrusk herself. His fine features are hardened by scars across his otherwise perfect face and hands; clearly, a man forged from warfare, most likely of the naval variety. His hair is a silky auburn, flowing down to his upper back, with a beard nearly matching that length. His skin is fair, and pale; perfectly smooth aside from his scars. His clothing is actually quote similar to Fawks, back when I knew my foe as 'Sarmenti', a fanciful purple blouse, with white frills about the cuffs and collar. His trousers were a fine, tan brown, thin material; contrasting somewhat harshly with his black leather boots. His fingers were adorned with rings of silver and gold, seven in total, each with a different color of gemstone; a religous man, representing the seven gods of Light with his jewlery.

"Then why the search. You know I would find anyone hiding on my ships." The captain replies defiantly. "I am a registered convoy, and as such, I have the rights to maintain the privacy of my crew; and the secrecy of my goods."

"Those rights have been temporarily lifted by the Gilded Council until further notice, for all vessels." The man interjects. "With what happened over in Cartliege, we're on high alert. All vessels must be searched. All stock counted. All crew and passengers investigated. Like I said, I don't think a single one of your men is a spy, Thrusk. We're checking for Facetakers, Melt'as, things of that nature. Please, trust me on this. Not as a Council Member, but as a friend..."

Cartliege!? That's a real place? Not just something I dreamt up? Oh no... Oh gods no...

Thrusk, sounding even more annoyed, says. "Fine, Robert... have it your way. Search my ships, and find nothing. Once you're through, I'll seek reimbursement for wasting the time of my crew and I."

"I'll pay you myself, If you wish." Says this 'Robert' fellow, clearly tired from the whole debacle; he now turns to us. "I'll need you six to come with me; do any of you have paperwork confirming your identites."

"I-I have our p-papers from Saltmoore." Says Zana, wrapping her arms around her friend's own.

"I have mine." Replies Gabriella, tapping on her pack.

"I have both mine, and my charges papers." Says Cilla, pulling at her cloak.

"I... um..." Scott stutters; conveying. "I was recently saved from a... 'Siren situation', by these folk. All of my papers are likely destroyed, sir."

Robert eyes up Scott with a mix of interest, and pity, saying. "We'll give you a few tests, then write you up some new ones. Come now."

"Farewell, you strange little things." Calls Captain Thrusk. "By Maiyo's love, and gentle tides, may we meet again."

The elf named Robert waves to men in black cloaks; embroidered with silver thread, who stood off the docks themselves; who now move over to their leader.

He speaks to them, his tired voice straining to sound commanding. "Full search; danger zero. The captain is to be present for all interviews with the crew. Once you're done, send a trainee to me for delivery of a full reimbursement."

The cloaked men bow in confirmation, and fade from sight, reappearing in front of the captain behind us; she seems less than impressed.

The man returns to a slightly less than brisk pace, speaking to us all. "I am most sorry for all of this; we haven't had this sort of trouble in a very long time."

"What happened in Cartliege." I ask; the others seemingly wanting to know the same, as Cilla nearly had said something herself.

The fanciful elf; looking drained at my question, answers it. "Attacked by an overwhelming **** of the Dark's fiends. Details are sparce; but they somehow survived. The enemy seemed to just... leave. It's gotten every neighboring town, city, and settlement shaking in their boots... us included."

It... it was real... it had to be real... but that makes no sense! How!?

"Come now, we need to interview this young man, and confirm the validity of your papers. We may be jumping at shadows now, but that's nothing a little bureaucracy can't fix..."